Platform Branding

Why Platform Branding is Unique: 

Platforms like Uber, Airbnb, Nextdoor, Tinder, and Apple’s App Store connect strangers; one stranger is producing value, and the other stranger is consuming value. The platform sits in the middle and controls closer to zero percent of the users’ experiences on the platform.

This is very different from a traditional linear business like McDonald’s or Jetblue; these companies need to control nearly 100% of the consumer experience to provide their version of the “best quality service.”

Here are four reasons why platform branding is unique:

  1. A platform has two customers: producers of value and consumers of that value.
  2. A platform controls less of the user experience: Your users and their interactions amongst themselves are what makes your platform’s brand.
  3. A platform changes quickly: Airbnb needed to train its users because its service was disrupting established behaviors and industries. Airbnb grew to a $24 billion company in under ten years. Platforms scale and grow faster than traditional businesses.
  4. Platforms have different interaction models based on platform type: Tinder’s interaction model is radically different from LendingClub’s. We’ve identified 8 different platform types, and each requires a unique branding strategy based on its interaction model. Your brand’s development will be guided by our combination of platform knowledge and branding expertise that you won’t find anywhere else.

Our Process

  • Know thy Platform
    • First, our cross-functional team of brand strategists and visual-identity designers become experts on your platform.
  • Creativity!
    • Once we understand your platform’s essence, we explore creative ways to explain that value proposition through a company name, logo and brand story.
  • Refine
    • After we pick a brand identity concept, we develop a company logo, select color palettes, fonts, iconography, and photographic elements for your brand. All these elements are contained in the brand kit/ style guide deliverable Applico provides along with a communication guidance document for how the platform should speak to producers and consumers.

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